Accommodation and Resort

Arriving at the resort by 11am on 22nd March 2017 we were informed we could not check in until 15.00pm. Were not permitted to use the restaurant or bar until checked in. We were given our keys at 15.00pm and upon entering our room:
Fousty, damp and cold.
Some greeny yellow growth on the wall in the lounge area that continued to grow during our stay.
Fousty blankets and bedding. Bed bugs in pillow. Fousty smelling. Floor rugs were the excuse for extra blankets.
Fridge, though worked,upon appearance, was fit only for the dump.
Stove, only two hotplates worked.
No kettle. No hairdryer as advertised.
Dated old and scratched, badly fitted kitchen cupboards, wardrobe doors, scratched coffee table.
Fousty interior in wardrobes affected clothes and cases.
Bathroom. Mould and condensation in every crevice and seal. Rubber hose for shower. Showers could last for only 5 minutes before hot water ceased.
Threadbare towels though white, (mostly) would not even pass for floor cloths!
Grubby dirt ingrained balcony plastic chairs. Balcony shutters had broken hinges and were found on the floor of the balcony.
One bar electric fire above bathroom door. Exposed wires.
Air blowing heater in room. Packed up before leaving.
TV outdated dusty and grubby.
Electrics would blow fuses if showered with heater on, if stove was on to heat pot of milk for drinkable coffee, if heater and TV were on.
Though breakfast was basic, least was edible. Except for butter being changed to margerine mid week. Stale brown bread for toasting, chewy hard pancakes on a couple of occassions.
Lunch and dinner were questionable. No signs to state what cooked meat was, nor stating ingredients in case of allergies. Pasta potatoes and rice, were daily, left overs used for something else next day, or reused. As was Rice and peas. Salad was lettuce tomato, maybe onion, and cucumber. Left overs mixed to a salad or pasta salad.
Snacks were, lettuce, tomatoes, crisps, uncooked burgers, something that looked like sauages but lost their colour during the course of the afternoon on the hot tray, lit by candles. Stale rolls, and ham and cheese rolls, leftover from breakfast time.
The lit candles under the trays are a safety hazard with children on the complex. They were situated at table height.
The first few days we were there, the weather was bitter cold and wet.
The balcony door wedged open and we were unable to close it. We slept that first night freezing cold under the 'rugs' which were the spare blankets. Phone did not work in the room so we were unable to inform management, I actually unwedged the door in daylight the following morning.
The bar area was more of a waiting area to the restaurant than a social bar area, and because so cold we asked for the fire to be lit in the bar/waiting area, so at least it was a comfortable place to socialise. This was refused.
The swimming pools had maggots in them, and the seagulls enjoyed swimming in the pools regularly to eat them.
The bar staff were run ragged, from bar to restaurant to pool area.
Management were elusive and unobtainable.
We were unable to obtain 'rounds' of drinks for ourselves and people we had met and socialised with, with 'new instruction' one drink per person. If I had not finished one drink I was not permitted to obtain another until it was finished.
STALAG 13 became the name of the resort.
We were prepared to return home, only unable to find an affordable last minute flight prevented this.
We spoke to other holiday makers and they all experienced the same disgraceful issues with rooms and food, therefore we had realised it was pointless asking for another room, they were all the in the same state.
Two girls balcony collapsed, and were told ' you leave tomorrow so its ok for one day'
One lady was electrocuted using the oven.
One lady was told ' if you want to be warm go down to the beach'
Chicken was served raw inside.
Burgers were also raw inside.
I received bites around my face and neck from the pillow on my bed.
There was no resort transport available for older holiday makers to or from the town. The hilly steep climb from town to the resort is extremely difficult. Followed by the many many steep steps slopes and inclines within the resort, not advertised, made it extremely difficult for my wife.
She actually fell down steps on one occasion because of the poor lighting within the resort pathways. She was fortunate on that occasion she did not hurt herself too badly and suffered only bruising and shock from the fall though her trousers and shoe were ripped and destroyed.
We have never experienced a place like this. It appears the resort will take your money for all inclusive, but give as little as possible in return. It appears they have no inclination in making your stay pleasant or memorable or encourage for future visits. The resort management have done nothing to encourage the economic growth for themselves or Albufeira. We will NOT be returning to this resort, and will NOT recommend to others. In fact it has put us off Portugal altogether.
Budget holidays, in my experience, are for the benefit of the resort management to fill spaces at a reduced cost otherwise not filled through the norm which also benefits the holiday maker. There are standards, but this resort fell way below any expected minimum standard, and we felt that because we, like others, had a budget holiday at this resort, were treated disgracefully.
I am demanding a full refund for this holiday and demanding that the resort be checked by officials, for health and safety, health and hygiene etc.
Provider: Magic Rooms Ref: 337281
Accommodation: Albufeira Jardim I yII
Room: Studio # A141
Date: 22/03/ - 29/03/17
All Inclusive £272.94
Flight: Easyjet Ref: ER8XB6G £154.96
Transfer: Ref: BT4U RT-1181241 £31.30
Airport Parking : Holiday Extras Ref: YSNU2 £34.64
Total: £493.84
I fully intend to take this matter further, to ATOL, On The Beach and a copy of the above will be forwarded to them.
I hope to have a response from you within the next 7 days with details of a full refund.
Regards
Roger and Margaret Bray

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Erin Daly | 03/04/2017 11:37 | VERIFIED

Hi Roger and Margaret
Thank you for getting in touch with us and I'm sorry to hear about the experience you had on your holiday. You have left your review on the Holiday Extras website and I can see that you booked parking with us - can I help with that at all?
Thanks, Ruby

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